After Trump victory, Italy referendum is seen as test of populism's rise

Nov 24, 2016

While some fear a US-style upset that could unravel the EU, others doubt voters are even considering wider implications

After Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, Italy’s looming referendum on constitutional change has been cast as the next test of populism’s seemingly unstoppable rise across the western world – with some worrying that a defeat for Matteo Renzi, the prime minister, could spell disaster for the eurozone and Europe.

But on a recent weekday in a sprawling American-style shopping mall on the outskirts of Rome, the 4 December vote was hardly seen as a make-or-break moment for the country, let alone one that could sound the death knell of the euro.